Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp hailed his side’s “impossible” Champions League semi-final second leg victory as “unbelievable” after they trumped Barcelona 4-0 to claim a 4-3 win on aggregate and reach the final.
The Reds booked their place in European club football’s showpiece event for the second year running with a remarkable result at Anfield that saw their injury-hit attack demolish the Blaugrana in stunning fashion.
A brace apiece for Divock Origi and Georginio Wijnaldum fired them past Lionel Messi’s visitors, who found themselves shackled by a superb home performance that defied the odds in a dramatic encounter.
Klopp was unable to call upon the services of key stars Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino after both were ruled out of action, while defender Andy Robertson was replaced at half-time by Wijnaldum due to injury.
Yet the hosts emerged as the ultimate victors on another historical European night in front of the Kop, to make it three continental finals in as many campaigns with Klopp in charge.
Speaking at full-time to BT Sport, the German admitted that he had thought the feat to pull off such a comeback was beyond the realm of possibility – except for his own side.
“I said to the boys before the game that this is impossible, but because it’s you, it’s possible,” Klopp gushed.
“It’s 10 past 10, so most kids are in bed…These boys are f*cking mentality giants. It’s unbelievable.
“The whole game was too much. It was overwhelming. We played against maybe the best team in world.
“Winning is difficult but winning with a clean sheet, I don’t know how they did it. It’s unbelievable.
“I saw James Milner crying on the pitch after the game. It means so much to all of us. It’s the best phase of football.”
Klopp made sure to pay additional tribute to Origi and Xherdan Shaqiri, two fringe players in the squad brought to the fore tonight in their hour of need.
“There are more important things in the world. But creating this emotional atmosphere together is so special. It’s all about the players,” he added.
“The mix of potential and unbelievable heart is just a mix I never saw before. You have to be confident in a game like this.
“Divock and Shaq didn’t play a lot. Putting a performance in like that, it was so important. It shows what’s possible in football. It’s so nice. It’s really nice.
“We had to be serious. But we needed to be cheeky as well. It was necessary. Barcelona defend predictable things well. But you need to be unpredictable at moments.
“I saw the ball flying in the goal, I didn’t see the corner. I didn’t see who took the corner. Ben Woodburn said ‘what happened?’”
Liverpool will have to wait a day to find out their opponents in the final, with Ajax or Tottenham set to join them there.
